Best Apps for Meal Planning

Now I love traditional cooking. Cooking made from scratch and free from all the preservatives, dyes, and artificial ingredients is a staple in our home. But that’s not to say I mind incorporating technology. I am not talking about fancy blenders, coffee machines, or gadgets – I’m talking about meal planning and preparation apps.

There are a number of fantastic apps for both iPhone and android users. These apps can help with grocery shopping, meal planning, and recipes, all from your mobile phone. Here are just a few of my favorite meal planning apps.

Recipe, Menu, Meal Planner from Pepperplate

This app from Pepperplate is available for both Andriod and iPhone users. It also has a web app that can be accessed directly on the web which is fantastic for those who don’t have a smartphone yet. You can plan meals for the week and it will automatically create a shopping list for you of the items needed to complete those recipes.

AllRecipes Dinner Spinner

If you aren’t sure what to whip up, the dinner spinner is a fun way to let Lady Luck decide for you. You’ll land on one over 40,000 user-submitted recipes – leaving you to only follow the directions. The Dinner Spinner app is available both on Andriod based devices and iPhone.

Leftovers

This app allows you to keep track of when you should throw out your leftovers. It will keep a running stock of what is about to go bad in your fridge letting you know what you need to eat up fast and what you should throw out. Perfect for those hectic times when you’re not sure what to cook. The only downside to Leftovers is that it is only available for iPhone or iPad users.

Love Food Hate Waste

This tops my list as my favorite cooking app. It is both great in the kitchen and very eco-friendl – and it’s available in both the iTunes store and Google Play store for iPhone or Andriod users. Love Food Hate Waste has a portion size planner that will ensure you are not overcooking, unless you intend for leftovers, and my favorite feature is the recipe blender. It allows you to create recipes from ingredients you already have in your kitchen. Simply plug-in the ingredients in your kitchen to the app and it will give you a delicious recipe to try.

These are just a few of the phenomenal recipe and meal planning apps available for smartphone users. Do you use meal planning apps to prepare meals at your home? If so, what are your favorites?